Fashion Week Design Suites to Take a Break

After five seasons accompanying the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios, the Design Suites will be taking a break during the Spring 2007 shows set for Oct. 15–19.

The suites, which last season moved to the HD Buttercup design studios near Smashbox Studios in Culver City, Calif., allow premium-denim, contemporary and accessory brands to show their collections during Fashion Week without hitting the runways.

“We want to be on-site or as close to on-site as possible,” said Design Suites Director Lauren Gurvich. The suites have previously been held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.

Gurvich said the Design Suites would return for the March 2007 Fashion Week.

Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz USA said it would enter into a three-year contract to have the title sponsorship on IMG’s major fashion events in the United States. That includes those in Los Angeles, New York and Miami. The three-year agreement begins with the February 2007 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York showing the Fall 2007 collections. This is the first time all three Fashion Week venues have had the same title sponsorship.

From 2001 to 2003, Mercedes-Benz had the title sponsorship on IMG’s New York Fashion Week, until it was taken over by Olympus cameras. —Erin Barajas